Kenya's political parties have been banned from sending any bulk text messages to voters without the approval of state regulators.

The move is intended to prevent parties from sending out hate messages during next year's elections, the state regulator said.

More than 1,000 people were killed in ethnic violence that hit Kenya after the 2007 disputed elections.

Some analysts say hate-filled text messages helped fuel the conflict.

Francis Wangusi - the director-general of the regulatory body, the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) - said parties would have to submit to it bulk text messages for vetting 48 hours before sending them out.

He said parties could send the messages in the two main languages - English and kiSwahili - and not in any of the other languages spoken among Kenya's ethnic groups.

'In good faith'

"Any offence that will be committed as a result of sending bulk political messages over the networks... will be punished," Mr Wangusi added.

They [regulators] should have done it soonerMachel Waikenda, Kenyan politician